Guerrilla Urbanism and a Reclamation of Public Space

(Just a note: I'm going to be using guerrilla urbanism, DIY urbanism, and pop-up urbanism interchangeably here)

Let's face it: Planners often don't know, or don't care, about the needs of the people they are supposed to serve. In the past, this neglect took the form of redlining, urban renewal and highways. Even today, San Jose is proposing to build a new mini-highway through a North San Jose community, sending speeding cars zipping past an elementary school. We were socially engineered into isolated suburbs, cut off from our neighbors by obscenely wide roads, and separated from the experiences of our fellow people. Impoverished and minority communities have also been systematically isolated, neglected, and overpoliced as an official policy choice.

It's not hard to figure out why this happens. Power creates in its own image, and those who control organs of power, be they corporations or municipal planning departments, strive to work within established structures, norms and power structures. The only way these can change are through local action from the bottom.

DIY urbanism can take many forms. From small neighborhood parklets, to squatting on vacant lots, to bus bulbs, to traffic calming measures, and everything in between, the fundamental trait of guerrilla urbanism is that it reclaims public streets in opposition to official sanction. 

 

 

Most DIY urbanist projects are temporary in nature and meant to force authorities to take heed of and address local demands. However, it is important to stress that these kinds of projects should not be done spontaneously be urbanist vigilantes who "know what's best" for a community. It would be foolish to conflate pop-up urbanism and a defiance of hierarchical planning with a complete disregard for the actual needs of a community. These types of projects need to be discussed and debated with local residents before their creation. Otherwise, we've simply replaced one group of "central planners" with another. 

But when done right, small-scale urbanist projects can empower and enliven communities. They provide public spaces for local residents. They provide safety, and even mutual aid. They foster better local organizing and neighborhood activism; engaging even the most apathetic and neglected individuals in a community.

So think about. If city hall isn't listening to you, why not take your streets and your neighborhood into your own hands.

Thanks for reading. If you like my content, please share and follow me on Twitter at @personopolis. I'm going to do a few more urbanist posts before the next installment of my series on San Jose flag redesigns.